by R. C. Martin
“I know,” she says with a laugh. “Thanks.”
“It’s how we roll, Zip.”
“Well, I’m free for a while. Want some help?”
“Sure. I’ve still got some clothes in the dresser. Grab a box.”
“You got it.”
MOVING IN THE middle of a Colorado winter is a bitch. It’s been snowing off and on all day. I’m going to have to shampoo the carpet after all the wet foot traffic that was in and out of the apartment today. Yet, surprisingly, I’m not the least bit bothered by that knowledge. Not with the view I’ve got in front of me right now.
The spare room is now full of Sage’s things. At the moment, it’s just a bunch of scattered boxes, his mattresses propped up against the wall, and his desk pushed up underneath the window. I already know that getting him to unpack is going to be a nightmare, and making this room presentable will be interesting, but I don’t care. Not today, anyway. Today I’m too busy basking in the reality that at any moment, Sage will walk through the door and he’ll be home.
He left about an hour ago, riding back to the house with Derrick and the Bradley brothers, who helped load all of Sage’s things in the back of the trailer that usually transports their equipment. He said he’d be back as soon as he picked up his car. I’m surprised he hasn’t arrived, yet. Though, if the snow has picked up, that could be the reason for his delay.
I’m still standing in the doorway of the spare room when I hear the front door finally open. As Sage makes his entrance, I see that he’s got two bags in his hands. One, a to-go sack from Giuseppe’s, and the other, a brown paper bag which clearly holds a bottle of wine. I tilt my head to the side, squinting my eyes at him suspiciously as I begin to close the distance between us.
“Honey, I’m home,” he greets with a cheesy smile.
I can’t silence the giggle that bubbles out of me as I come to a stop just in front of him. “You were gone a while. What are you up to?”
“Well,” he says before he smacks a kiss against my lips. “This is probably one of the only Saturday nights I’ll have off for a while. We got lucky—so tonight, I thought I’d treat my girl to dinner. Then—” He kisses me again, lingering a little longer this time. “Then I thought we could get lucky again.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yup. You hungry?”
I offer him a nod, and he kisses me one more time before he heads to the kitchen. I follow him, getting out plates and glasses while he unpacks the bags. I set the little dining room table while he goes to hang his coat, and then we both sit down and enjoy our meal together. It’s delicious, and I love him a little more for going out of his way in order to make tonight even more special.
When we’re done eating, we clean up together. I wonder how many nights we’ll get to share like this. I know that we’ll soon fall into a routine and it’ll all seem mundane and normal, but as I’ve said before—everything is better with Sage. I mean that, and I look forward to every single ordinary night at home with him.
After the dishes are loaded into the dishwasher, leftovers stored in the fridge, and the empty containers thrown in the trash, Sage hands me a full glass of wine and then escorts me down the hall to our bedroom.
“I’ll be back,” he tells me, setting his glass down on my dresser. “I’m going to take Maestro out really quick.”
“M’Kay,” I say softly, watching as he taps his leg to signal his pup to follow. He goes obediently, leaving me all to myself for a couple of minutes. Feeling happy and a tiny bit tipsy, I take a large swig of my wine before I strip out of all my clothes. I then head to his duffle bag, laying on the floor at the foot of the bed, and dig out one of his t-shirts. I’ve just slipped it over my head when I hear the front door open and close.
Quickly, I crawl on top of the bed, stretching out on my stomach before he enters. I can feel the cold from outside wafting off of his clothes as he crawls over me the second he reaches the bed.
“If I didn’t love you, my cold hands would be all over your ass right now, gorgeous,” he mutters into my ear.
“Get warm fast, baby—I want you to touch me,” I insist, peeking at him from over my shoulder. He kisses me, lowering his hips to rub the bulge in his pants over my ass. I arch my back, lifting my hips in response, and he grunts before pushing away from me and onto his feet.
I watch him strip down naked, my pussy growing wet just looking at him. I find myself short of breath when he reaches for his cock, stroking himself as he looks down at me.
“Need you naked, doll.”
I roll onto my back without another word, reaching for the hem of his shirt before tugging the garment over my head and tossing it onto the floor. He then signals with his free hand for me to roll back onto my stomach, so I do, spreading my legs open invitingly.
He crawls on top of me again, this time running his dick along my seam and then between my ass cheeks. Even though he’s just teasing me, it still feels amazing, and I prop myself up on my forearms, spreading my legs even wider. Over and over again, he coats the head of his dick in my arousal, which only makes me wetter. When he grabs hold of my ass with both of his hands, still teasing me with his dick, I whimper in frustration.
“Please,” I beg.
“Please what, baby doll?”
“I need you inside of me—stop teasing me, please!” I barely get the words out before he slowly sinks his cock into my core, burying himself until he’s balls deep. For a second, he doesn’t move—a new form of torture—but props himself up on his forearms. I can feel the heat of his chest against my back, his breath making my hair tickle my ear.
“Fast or slow?” he whispers.
“Slow,” I reply on a moan.
“Hard or soft?”
“Mmmm, hard.”
“That’s my girl,” he says, sliding out of me slowly. Once he’s almost all the way out, he slams back inside of me. I cry out in pleasure, in love with the way he fills me completely.
He sets a steady rhythm, fucking me nice and slow, the room filled with the sound of my desire coating his dick. He sweeps my hair to one shoulder, exposing my neck and back, giving him the opportunity to kiss, nibble, and lick as he continues to thrust in and out of me. When I turn my head, hungry for the taste of his mouth, he doesn’t hesitate to give me what I want. He kisses me slowly at first, teasing my tongue with his. But I want more. I kiss him deeper and he growls into my mouth, his hips picking up speed.
“Shit, Sage,” I pant. “I want to touch you.”
Immediately, he pulls out of me, flipping me onto my back. He spreads my legs wide and eases his way inside of me before propping himself over me once more. I run my hands down his chest, up his sides, across his shoulders, over his arms, along his neck, and into his hair. I can’t get enough of him. He stares down at me all the while, his icy blue eyes smoldering and filled with lust. It’s so sexy, it only makes me want him more.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” I whisper, wrapping my legs around his back.
“Me too, baby,” he breathes, resting his forehead against mine.
He exaggerates the roll of his hips, his pelvis grazing my clit with every thrust, and I suck in a breath, pushing out my chest. He leans against one arm, using his free hand to palm my breast and tweak my nipple. I groan, my legs squeezing his sides tighter.
“In the dark of night is where I want to be
Baby, in your arms, where no one else can see
No longer bound by light, we can both be free
‘Cause you’re my ecstasy, my only ecstasy.”
I suck in a sharp breath, my body locking around his as he hums the tune once more. My pussy clenches down on his cock and he slows his pace to an excruciatingly pleasurable tempo, no longer taking me hard, but loving me gentle, singing the words over again.
“Sage,” I moan, my second orgasm overtaking my first.
I’ve barely caught my breath when he pushes himself up onto his hands, his thrusts picking up in speed and force as he chas
es his own release.
“Fuck, Millie,” he mutters, taking all that he needs. It’s not long before he groans, his body growing stiff as he twitches inside of me. When his muscles begin to loosen up, he lowers himself on top of me, giving me all of his weight. I cling to him, knowing there’s no place else I’d rather be but here—in his arms, where no one else can see.
“ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE!” our fans chant in unison.
Knox drapes his arm across my shoulders and I reach around and pat his back. “This is no fucking joke,” he says in awe.
The band is standing just off stage, another local gig in the archives. Tonight, we took over The Wash Bar, hoping we’d need a bigger bar than The Brew. And what do you know? As luck would have it, the place is packed. Only this time, the milestone we celebrate makes tonight unlike any other.
“Just when I think shit couldn’t get more surreal,” says Maddox, speaking over the cry of the crowd. He throws his arm over his brother’s and I’m suddenly flanked by the Bradley’s. I give Mad Lips a pat on the back, too. I know exactly what they’re feeling—know exactly what this night means to them. To us. To all of Mountains & Men, really; but it was the three of us who started this dream—messing around when we were just kids, shootin’ the shit, talking about putting together a band. Now, almost six years later, here we are.
“I think it’s time we give them what they want, eh, guys?” calls out Derrick, joining our ranks.
“Not so fast.” We all turn at the sound of Stefany’s voice. She’s got a wicked grin on her face as she makes her way up the short flight of stairs to join us in the wings. “I have a little something for your fans.”
Without further explanation, she walks right past us and onto the stage. The mic stand is too high for her, so she grabs the mic and sets the stand behind her before she addresses the crowd.
“Give it up for Mountains & Men! They played one hell of a show, don’t you think?” Everyone in the bar cheers and the six of us look at each other, wondering what Stefany’s up to. “When I first heard them play, about four months ago, I knew I had to get my hands on them.” Someone cat whistles and laughter fills the bar. Stefany joins in on their laughter before she continues. “Turns out, I’m not the only one who believed in their potential, which is why we’re here tonight—celebrating the release of their first album—Of Mountains & Men.”
I couldn’t keep the wild grin off my face even if I tried, so I don’t. Instead, I bask in the moment, hoping to commit to memory every detail of tonight.
“Now’s the part where I insert my little, shameless plug—if you haven’t heard it, what the hell are you waiting for? You can download it right now! But that’s not the only reason I’m up here. I’ve got a little surprise for our boys and girl.”
“Here we go,” says JJ with a chuckle. “Classic Stef. What’s she got up her sleeve now?”
She looks our way with a wink before she turns back to the crowd and asks, “How many Kings & Crowns fans do we have in here?”
“What did she just say?” Alex yells over the noise of the excited audience. She ducks her way between Knox and me so she can stand in front of us and see. “Did she just say Kings & Crowns? That band is amazing!”
I fold my arms across my chest, my stomach in knots as I study Stefany with intrigue. I don’t know where the fuck she’s going with this, but Alex is right—Kings & Crowns is amazing. They’ve been on the music scene for the last couple of years, after they blew up with their first hit single. They got their start in Cali, but if you don’t know who they are in even the smallest Podunk town, you’ve been living under a rock.
“Well, as some of you might know, they’re heading out on tour next month,” Stefany continues. “They’ll be on the road until July; and when they heard M&M’s single, they wanted to hear more—so we might have slipped them an advanced copy of Of Mountains & Men, and they loved it.”
“Holy. Shit,” Maddox mutters.
“Now, if you’ve ever met the guys from Kings & Crowns, you’d know that they’re a bunch of bad-asses with big hearts—and they enjoyed this album so much, they decided they wanted to help promote it. So,” she pauses and turns to face us. “Guess who’s going to be opening up for Kings & Crowns for four months?”
In an instant, we all go insane. We were already on top of the world, but Stefany just catapulted us even higher. Maddox is the first to attack, running out on stage. He grips Stefany around the waist and lifts her up in the air. I follow after him, and soon, Stefany is propped up on both of our shoulders, everyone in the band yelling and cheering with the crowd at the news.
“Okay, okay—Christ, put me down,” Stefany says into the mic. “You’ve got an encore to perform!”
It takes us a minute to calm down enough to get our shit together, but when we do—we give our fans exactly what they want. I sing my heart out, more excited than I’ve ever been in my life. We’ve worked so hard to get here, and doors are starting to open—our dreams are coming true. I know that this is still just the beginning, because we won’t stop fighting until we make it to the top.
We were born for this.
This is who we are.
Playin’ from the heart.
Rockin’ from the soul.
I’VE NEVER BEEN so proud of anyone in all of my life. Standing in the middle this mob of fans, crowded in a bar that seems big on any other night, but so small tonight, I’m beside myself. Watching him up there—my dreamer, my rock star—I’m sure that he’s exactly where he belongs. He shines so bright, and I admire him so much. The look on his face after Stefany announced the news of their next tour broke my heart and mended it together all at once. This opportunity is bigger than big. I know this because even I know who Kings & Crowns are. I really am excited for him—for all of them—and I’m so proud.
But I won’t lie to myself. Four months is not six weeks—it’s four months. Just thinking about being away from Sage for that long makes me miss him even while he’s still in reach, still right in front of me, still singing to me as only he can. Stefany said that they’ll be leaving next month. March will be the middle of my semester; even if I wanted to meet him somewhere for a short visit, it wouldn’t be until May.
“Come on, Millie,” Violet yells over the music, grabbing hold of my forearm. “Let’s head back now! I can’t wait any longer.”
The smile on her face makes her blue eyes more vibrant, and I know she’s over the moon with the news we just heard. As I follow her tug, I’m reminded of the conversation we had a few weeks ago about her relationship with JJ. She believes that it’s his time. I don’t have to ask her if she’ll miss him, or if she’s not even the slightest bit sad that they’ll be apart for weeks and weeks. She loves him. Of course she’ll miss him—but she’s strong enough to let him go. They’re strong enough to let each other go. Right now, they want the same thing. Right now, they share the same dream—the success of Mountains & Men.
I still don’t know if I’m capable of dreaming.
Am I strong enough to let Sage go? Can I latch onto his dream? Will goodbye be any easier if I do?
I don’t know the answer to any of my questions; but as Violet and I find our way backstage and the band’s song comes to an end, I know one thing for sure. I wish to be brave. I love Sage more than I’ve loved anyone, and for him, I wish to be brave.
“Thank you!” Sage says as the rest of the band starts to exit the stage. “You guys are awesome—we wouldn’t be here if not for your support, so thank you! Now, let’s party!”
My eyes are glued to him as I watch him run off stage after the others. I see it as his eyes spot Violet, wrapped in JJ’s arms, before he starts his search for me. When our gazes align, the sight of his grin makes my knees weak. He runs toward me, not even slowing down before he collides into me, locking his arms around my legs before he picks me up off of my feet. Laughter pours out of me as I grip hold of his shoulders to keep myself upright.
“Fuck! We’re going on tour,
doll face! Did you hear that? We’re touring with fucking Kings & Crowns!”
“I heard, baby,” I tell him, unable to keep the grin off my face. His excitement is contagious. “I’m so proud of you, Sage,” I say, reaching up to run my fingers through his hair, damp with sweat from his performance.
“Get down here, gorgeous. I need a taste.”
I hold each side of his face as I lean over to kiss him, my hair falling around us like a curtain. The second my lips touch his, he darts his tongue out, telling me what he wants. I open up for him and lean into the kiss a little bit more. One of his hands slides up, gripping my waist as he holds me more securely. He groans, kissing me deeper—his mouth devouring mine with his greedy lips and delicious tongue. He takes. I give. And as I surrender to him in this moment, I vow here and now that I will be brave.
I will be brave because he makes me brave.
We’re in this together. He promised.
GODDAMN, MY GIRL can kiss. I don’t want to let her go—but I know the night has just started, and we’ve got some serious celebrating to do.
I clap my hand against her ass, the impact making her shriek. I chuckle and she smiles down at me, reaching up to sweep her hair behind her ears.
“Fuck you later,” I say, giving her a squeeze.
“Promise?”
“You bet your sweet, little ass.”
“You guys, I have one last surprise to throw your way before you get your drink on,” Stefany calls out. We all turn our heads in her direction, and I set Millie on her feet as she continues. “Actually, Greg wanted to get you something. It’s out back—follow me.”
We all exchange curious looks, no doubt wondering the same thing. Instead of asking questions, we do as we’re told and follow. I take Millie’s hand and she laces her fingers with mine, clinging to my arm as we make our way to the back exit. None of us have coats on, but fear of winter’s bite is definitely not going to hold us back.